> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sofiedocs.usetransfer.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Directives

> Create and manage standing rules that tell Sofie how to respond across conversations.

A Directive is a standing rule Sofie should follow. Use Directives for response behavior, review standards, formatting preferences, language constraints, and recurring guardrails.

Directives are different from Memory. Memory stores facts and preferences. Directives tell Sofie what to do.

## When to use a Directive

Use a Directive when you want Sofie to consistently follow a rule.

Good Directive examples:

* `For deviation work, separate facts, assumptions, missing evidence, and recommended next checks.`
* `Do not infer root cause unless supplied sources support it.`
* `When summarizing meetings, include decisions, action items, owners, due dates, risks, and unresolved questions.`
* `For validation documents, preserve requirement IDs and acceptance criteria.`
* `When drafting QA-facing language, avoid unsupported causal claims.`

Avoid Directives that:

* Conflict with your team's required process.
* Tell Sofie to skip human review.
* Bake in temporary project facts.
* Are so broad that they apply poorly to most tasks.

<Warning>
  Do not use Directives to bypass review. Sofie can help prepare work, but your team owns final review for regulated, quality, clinical, or controlled processes.
</Warning>

## Open Directives

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Manage Memory">
    Open **Manage Memory** from the user menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Directives">
    Click the **Directives** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review active rules">
    Check which Directives are active and whether any are stale.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Directive fields

When you create or edit a Directive, Sofie can show:

| Field         | How to use it                                        |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**      | A short label for the rule.                          |
| **Rule**      | The instruction Sofie should follow.                 |
| **Reasoning** | Optional explanation for why the rule matters.       |
| **Active**    | Whether Sofie should currently follow the Directive. |

Good names:

* `Deviation evidence standard`
* `QA-facing language`
* `Meeting summary format`
* `Validation source handling`
* `CAPA traceability`

## Create a Directive

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Directives">
    Go to **Manage Memory** and select **Directives**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Create">
    Click **Create**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name the Directive">
    Enter a clear **Name**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write the rule">
    Enter the standing instruction in **Rule**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add optional reasoning">
    Use **Reasoning** to explain why the rule matters.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Turn a Directive on or off

Directives can be active or inactive.

Turn a Directive off when:

* It applies only to a past project.
* It conflicts with a current task.
* You want to test a different response style.
* It is too broad and needs revision.

<Tip>
  Turn off a Directive before deleting it when you are not sure whether you will need it again.
</Tip>

## Edit or delete a Directive

<Steps>
  <Step title="Find the Directive">
    Search or scan the Directives table.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the row menu">
    Use the row action menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Edit or Delete">
    Edit the **Name**, **Rule**, or **Reasoning**, or delete the Directive if Sofie should no longer follow it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Deleting a Directive removes the standing rule for future conversations. It does not rewrite past chats.

## Directive examples by workflow

<Accordion title="Deviation investigation">
  ```text theme={null}
  For deviation investigation work, separate confirmed facts, assumptions, missing evidence, source gaps, SME questions, and recommended next checks. Do not infer root cause unless the supplied sources support it.
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="CAPA development">
  ```text theme={null}
  For CAPA work, flag any action that does not map to a source-supported cause or contributing factor. Keep effectiveness measures separate from implementation tasks.
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Validation review">
  ```text theme={null}
  For validation review, preserve requirement IDs, acceptance criteria, sampling rationale, and source references. Flag unclear criteria instead of rewriting them as if they were confirmed.
  ```
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Regulatory research">
  ```text theme={null}
  When comparing public regulatory sources, include source, jurisdiction, effective date when available, claim, support level, and open question. Do not treat public guidance as organization-approved procedure.
  ```
</Accordion>

## Directive versus Saved prompt

Use a Directive when the rule should apply across conversations. Use a Saved prompt when you want reusable text for a specific task.

| Example                                                          | Better as                             | Why                                             |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| "Always separate facts from assumptions for investigation work." | Directive                             | It changes response behavior.                   |
| "Create my weekly CAPA review table."                            | Saved prompt                          | It is reusable prompt text for a specific task. |
| "I work in MSAT."                                                | Memory                                | It is context about you.                        |
| "For this Workspace, use the protocol and URS as sources."       | Chat instruction or Workspace context | It is task-specific source direction.           |

## Check Directive influence

If a response feels shaped by a standing rule, ask Sofie to explain what influenced it:

```text theme={null}
List any Directive or Memory that influenced this answer. Then revise the answer using only the selected Workspace sources.
```

## Related guides

* [Memory](/personalize/memory)
* [Saved prompts](/prompts/saved-prompts)
* [Confirmations and review](/chat/confirmations-and-review)
* [Prompting patterns](/chat/prompting-patterns)